An executive meeting was convened to fill the vacant president's seat. From the vice president down to each branch director and the headquarters' department heads, over thirty executives packed the conference room. Yet despite the prestige of the Hunter's Association, the faces of these executives—who boasted power exceeding that of most national agencies or senior executives of major conglomerates—were uniformly etched with worry. In that heavy atmosphere, a few words summarizing the current situation were exchanged.
"Now we must decide who will succeed the president."
The moment they had all been waiting for finally arrived. At the vice president's words, a ripple of tension passed over every executive's face. *Gulp.* The sound of swallowing could be heard here and there. This was a position that could determine the fate of the Hunter's Association. The increasing number of Hunters, the rising frequency of Gates—they knew well that if the Hunter's Association faltered, the entire nation could tremble along with it.
"Well then..."
The vice president, who was leading the meeting, closed the report in front of him before speaking further. It was a gesture suggesting that the words written in those documents were nothing compared to what was about to be said.
"After in-depth discussions, the directors and I have decided to recommend Department Head Woo Jin-Chul for the position of the new president."
Until that moment, Woo Jin-Chul, who had heard no mention of himself from above, looked at the vice president in shock. *Why me...?* As Woo Jin-Chul asked with his eyes, the vice president pulled the microphone toward his lips.
"Department Head Woo Jin-Chul has assisted the president from the closest vantage point, learning the practical operations, and he possesses more than sufficient authority to command Hunters."
It was true. Former President Ko Geon-Hee had favored Woo Jin-Chul, who had turned down offers from large guilds to join the Association. Woo Jin-Chul, an A-rank Hunter closest to S-rank. If his mana measurement had been just a bit higher, he would have become the Association's second S-rank Hunter, succeeding Ko Geon-Hee. With nearly four years of practical experience and abilities surpassing A-rank, there was no disagreement that he was the right person to lead the many Hunters under the Association. The executives, who had been murmuring upon hearing the recommendation, began to quiet down as the vice president explained. However, the man himself still found it hard to accept.
"I am inadequate for the position in many ways. There are many here with far higher ranks, and isn't the age too young?"
In his mid-thirties. While he had accumulated considerable experience during his four years in the surveillance division, it was still far too young to head an organization. At least, that was how Woo Jin-Chul saw it.
"The vice president is here, as are the directors, and all the branch directors gathered here."
Woo Jin-Chul looked over the distinguished executives and asked the vice president again.
"With all these people here, why do you want to place me as Ko Geon-Hee president's successor?"
*Phew.* The vice president turned his head to the side and let out a quiet sigh. This resistance had been expected. He just hadn't expected it to come from Woo Jin-Chul's own mouth. The vice president turned off the microphone. The board's official stance had just been announced. Now it was time to reveal what was not official—their true intentions. With the microphone off, the executives leaned in even closer. The vice president spoke.
"Neither I nor any of the Association's executives have the power to move South Korea's strongest force."
The most powerful force under the Hunter's Association. Without needing to name anyone, a single face vividly appeared in everyone's mind.
"He has proven his strength sufficiently in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. That remains true now, and the Hunter's Association will continue to depend on him going forward."
A 'national-power-level Hunter'—an individual who could move a nation. One of those national-power-level Hunters had knelt before Hunter Sung Jin-Woo. What could the Hunter's Association possibly demand of such a person? All the Association could do was politely make a request and wait for an answer. Just as President Ko Geon-Hee had used Hunter Sung's strength to save the Jeju Island raid team from near annihilation, they needed a channel of communication to seek Hunter Sung's help in the future. The person in the Association currently closest to Hunter Sung Jin-Woo—that alone was sufficient qualification. The vice president had shared his thoughts with the board, and the board had not denied the vice president's conclusion. And now, even the executives sitting in the conference room were all beginning to nod.
"As we cannot force our decision on Hunter Sung Jin-Woo, neither can we force it on Department Head Woo Jin-Chul."
The power lay with the Hunter. This was the vice president's statement, emphasizing that one thing was certain.
"So, would you not accept our decision with careful consideration?"
All eyes fixed on Woo Jin-Chul. A brief silence. Feeling the sharp gazes piercing his skin, Woo Jin-Chul quietly opened his mouth.
"I..."
* * *
"Wow."
It was a word that usually came from Jina's mouth, so he was surprised it had unconsciously popped out of his own. Jin-Woo's fingers sped up as he scrolled through news articles on his phone.
[Ko Geon-Hee's Successor: Woo Jin-Chul Becomes the Hunter's Association's New President!]
Seeing Department Head Woo Jin-Chul's name rise to the top of real-time search trends, his startled heart quickly calmed down. It was good news. The Department Head Woo Jin-Chul, whom he was close with, had ascended to the president's seat. Smiling as he sent a congratulatory message in his heart, Jin-Woo lightly tossed his powered-off phone behind him. The Ant Soldier behind him caught it just in time. Jin-Woo gave a word of caution to the Ant Soldier as it put the phone away in the bag.
"Your predecessor was much better at that. You need to work on it."
The Ant Soldier, selected as a porter in place of the busy Vice President Yoo Jin-Ho, seemed embarrassed and kept bowing its head while scratching the back of its head.
"Alright."
Jin-Woo smiled and gave the Ant Soldier a light pat on the shoulder before turning around. Lunch was done; it was time to start hunting again. But then—
"Ugh... not these guys again."
Jin-Woo scratched his forehead as he looked at the dense forest painting his field of vision green. Not long ago, this had been a village before the giants trampled it, and now it resembled an Amazon rainforest. Even without judging by mana, wasn't it far too suspicious? Yet the animals seemed oblivious to that suspicion, as traces of them being devoured were scattered everywhere. Jin-Woo clicked his tongue at the carcasses, stripped to the bone with flies buzzing around them. Then he picked up a rock from the ground and threw it. *Whoosh!* It was no ordinary rock. It was an S-rank Hunter's throw—thrown with all of Jin-Woo's strength. *Thwack!* The rock embedded itself where a face had been, and a tree-type monster that had been resting its eyes snapped them wide open. Scowling, the creature rose and charged.
"Eeeeeek!"
It seemed that getting hit made things angry whether they were human or plant. Jin-Woo summoned the 'Demon King's Dagger' and rushed forward. The giant tree swung thick branches at the charging human.
*'Slow...'*
This one was slow. Leisurely dodging the two branches it wielded like fists, Jin-Woo focused on the tree's face. The tree couldn't even keep up with his movements visually.
*'Reaction time is terrible too.'*
Each time the branches struck the ground, they left deep craters, but Jin-Woo clicked his tongue at the sight.
*'For its size, the power is lacking.'*
It only looked strong because of its massive body. In terms of destructive power, it was dismal compared to giant-type monsters of similar size. However—perhaps to make up for it? The dagger clenched in Jin-Woo's hand plunged in and out of the tree monster's trunk repeatedly.
"Eeeek, eeeek!"
The tree screamed yet refused to fall easily.
*'Slashing!'*
In an instant, a flurry of slashes like a shotgun blast embedded themselves into the tree. *Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!*
"Eeeeeeeeeek!"
The tree shut its eyes completely against the onslaught and just kept swinging its fists. Jin-Woo dodged the fists, closed the distance, sent the dagger back to its sheath, and clenched his fist. Drawing mana, the muscles of his right arm swelled rapidly. And then one blow. *Boom!* The tree, folded in half, flew far away and crashed to the ground.
"Eeeek!"
Screaming in agony, the creature rolled on the ground, then dragged its shattered body toward Jin-Woo.
"Wow..."
Incredible durability. This tree-type monster, newly discovered in Japan, boasted truly formidable stamina. It took Jin-Woo dozens of additional strikes before he could finally stop its movements.
"Kek."
Dying, the tree let out a final gurgle and spewed foul-smelling sap from its mouth.
"Ugh."
Jin-Woo covered his nose. More annoying than its tenacious vitality was that horrendous stench. While the Ant Soldier—Yoo Jin-Ho's successor—diligently rummaged through the carcass to collect mana crystals, Jin-Woo glared at the forest where the monsters had gathered.
*'So I have to repeat this all the way out there too...'*
How long had it been since a dungeon break erupted nearby? Already, the creatures had spread across an entire forest, and Jin-Woo furrowed his brow. But humans are the animals of wisdom. Having learned their weaknesses while fighting them, Jin-Woo had one trick up his sleeve.
*'I had a feeling this would happen, which is why I kept them on standby.'*
Jin-Woo smiled and called forth a few shadow soldiers.
"Come forth."
As if they had been waiting, Tusk and three mages rose silently from the ground. With all the other shadow soldiers deployed, it had been worth keeping these three in reserve.
"Begin!"
The moment Jin-Woo's command fell, the fully grown Tusk spewed a pillar of fire, and the mages began their fireworks display. *Craaaaash! Bang! Boom! Blam!* As the fire spread, the trees twisted their bodies and screamed.
"Eeeeeeeeek!" "Eeeek!" "Eaaaagh!"
Since the flames were imbued with mana, the trees burned fiercely despite not being dry. The foul-smelling sap evaporated quickly in the heat, and standing at a comfortable distance, Jin-Woo watched the scene with satisfaction. Even as a smile crossed Jin-Woo's face at the plan working perfectly, System messages continued to pile up, one after another.
[Enemy defeated.] [Enemy...] [Enemy...]
Countless messages scrolling upward. The fact that monsters bred quickly was bad news and good news at the same time—it meant that much more experience. Sure enough, *ding!* A much more cheerful mechanical chime than usual rang out.
[Level Up!]
That's it! Jin-Woo clenched his fist. To check his increased stats, he immediately called up his status window.
'Status window.'
Ding.
[Name: Sung Jin-Woo] [Level: 133] [Class: Shadow Monarch] [Title: One Who Overcame Adversity (+2 others)] [HP: 78,230] [MP: 136,160] [Fatigue: 3]
[Stats] Strength: 308 Vitality: 307 Agility: 316 Intelligence: 321 Perception: 298 (Stat points available: 0)
Level 133. Thanks to the soldiers raiding across all of Japan, leveling had progressed quickly. The countless monsters pouring out of the Gates were a boon for Jin-Woo. Almost all his stats had already surpassed 300, with only Perception lagging two points behind.
*'Once tomorrow's Daily Quest is done, I'm putting all the points into Perception.'*
Jin-Woo smiled and closed his status window. The war the King of Giants had spoken of. The plan President Ko Geon-Hee had mentioned. He couldn't know exactly what they were. But what did it matter? As long as he prepared thoroughly so he could handle whatever came, that was enough. Now was the time to steadily focus on leveling up. But then—contact came from Beru, who had been leading a legion of ants and working his way up from the farthest point, slaying monsters along the way.
[My King... though it is presumptuous of me to speak, I have something to report.] "Hm?"
Jin-Woo wondered what was going on with Beru and sent a signal.
*'What is it?'*
* * *
[...those who do not have one, please contact me through the Korean Hunter's Association.]
After Jin-Woo's interview spread, the Hunter's Association was flooded with inquiries. Most were calls from the top Hunters of countries around the world. Among them, some Hunters secretly traveled to Korea to receive consultations from Jin-Woo. Germany's strongest Hunter, Renat Nearman, was one of them.
*'Even a national-power-level Hunter and a Grand Hunter got hit. How could I be safe?'*
He was a man of keen senses and humility. Rather than trembling with anxiety, he would believe Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's words that there was a countermeasure. And so he chose to head to Korea. Arriving at Incheon Airport, he took a deep breath of the Korean air—so different from Germany or America.
*'So this is the scent of Korea...'*
Thrilled by the atmosphere of this new country, he asked the immigration officer in an excited voice.
"Is this Hunter Sung Jin-Woo's country?" "Excuse me? Oh, yes..."
When the flustered officer nodded, Renat smiled with satisfaction. Soon he would be able to speak with the world's strongest Hunter. At the International Guild Conference banquet, Jin-Woo had ignored him by the narrowest of margins. And yet to meet like this—the thought alone made his heart race. As he took a deep breath to steady his fluttering heart, a tall man standing directly behind him spoke up.
"If you're going to dawdle, move."
A vein momentarily bulged on Renat's previously calm face. *How dare he!* To show such rudeness to him—one of the world's top Hunters! He would teach this man some manners. Renat removed the sunglasses he had carefully put on and turned around.
"Hey! Can you say that to my face?"
With his brow furrowed deeply, Renat faced a man who stood a full head taller, who equally removed his sunglasses and spoke.
"Move. Out. Of. The. Way."
Renat's expression froze like stone the moment he recognized the man's face. His hesitant lips parted.
"Y-you go first."
Thomas brushed past Renat with his broad shoulders and stepped up to the immigration counter. Of course, the apology that followed was Laura's responsibility. A national-power-level Hunter. The airport staff, seeing Thomas—the man called the world's strongest Hunter—in the flesh, felt their breath catch. A giant. There was a reason he bore the nickname Goliath. Noticing the color draining from the staff member's face, Thomas put his sunglasses back on and smiled.
"Is this Mr. Sung's country?"